1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projector-type vehicle headlamp using a semiconductor-type light source such as an LED, for example, as a light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle headlamp of this type is conventionally known (Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2008-41271, for example). Hereinafter, the conventional vehicle headlamp will be described. The conventional vehicle headlamp is provided with: a light source; a first reflecting surface for reflecting light from the light source on a first illumination region; a light shading member for shading a part of the light reflected from the first reflecting surface; a second reflecting surface for reflecting the light from the light source; and a third reflecting surface for reflecting the light reflected from the second reflecting surface in a second illumination region. Hereinafter, functions of the conventional vehicle headlamp will be described. When the light source is lit, the light from the light source is reflected on the first reflecting surface; a part of the light reflected from the first reflecting surface is shaded by means of the light shading member; and a light distribution pattern for passing, having a cutoff line, is formed by the remaining part of the reflected light, and is illuminated in the first illuminated region. On the other hand, the light from the light source is reflected on the second reflecting surface; and the light reflected from the second reflecting surface is reflected on the third reflecting surface; and a light distribution pattern for overhead sign is illuminated in the second illumination region.
However, the conventional vehicle headlamp entails a problem concerning visibility, which could arise due to the fact that a dark matter exerted by optical dropout(s) takes place between a light distribution pattern for passing, having a cutoff line, and a light distribution pattern for overhead sign.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem concerning visibility that remains unsolved in the conventional vehicle headlamp.